• Home
  • About
    • Where has GhettoIFE gone?
    • For PR’s and Agencies (Changes and Corrections)
    • Privacy Policy
  • Snapshots
  • Trip Reports
  • Travel Plus…
    • … Technology
    • … Photography

Economy Class & Beyond

You are here: Home / AIX19 / AIX19: Bluebox Aviation sign Etihad for their IFE accessibility solution

AIX19: Bluebox Aviation sign Etihad for their IFE accessibility solution

01/04/2019 by Kevincm

Accessibility on a plane for all is a growing topic, with airlines trying to address the needs of all passengers. Bluebox Aviation Systems is aiding Etihad along, with improved accessibility.

Etihad Airways will upgrade its Bluebox Ai iPads to include Bluebox aIFE – their IFE platform for visually impaired passengers. In the past, the airline used  Bluebox Ai iPads primarily for service recovery purposes.

The improvements that Bluebox is going to deploy will update the current iPads, allowing visually impaired passengers to enjoy the same IFE content as is provided to other passengers via the seat-back IFE.

The combined build enables cabin crew to switch between the standard IFE mode (Bluebox Ai) and accessibility mode (Bluebox aIFE) depending on a passenger’s needs.
a screenshot of a computer
Screen for app selection by crew showing Standard (Bluebox Ai) or Accessibility (Bluebox aIFE) options – Image, BlueBox

The Bluebox aIFE is an iPad-based accessible IFE platform offering passengers with sight loss the opportunity to enjoy the same IFE content as is available on an airline’s existing IFE systems. Its fully-customised user interface (UI) builds upon the advanced accessibility features of Apple’s iOS platform, with additional IFE-specific capabilities.
a man and dog sitting in an airplane
BlueBox’s aIFE deployed on Virgin Atlantic – Image, BlueBox.

In quotes

Jamal Al Awadhi, Vice President, Product and Guest Experience, Etihad Airways

“We recognise the industry-wide need for a more accessible passenger experience and felt it important to make our IFE more accessible to our visually impaired guests,” said . “With the aviation community together this week in Hamburg at the Aircraft Interiors Expo, we had an opportunity to keep the attention of our airline peers on this important issue.”

David Brown, Business Development Director, Bluebox

“Etihad’s commitment to their guests is impressive, and we’re looking forward to helping bring accessible IFE to the visually impaired among them,” said “Our hope is that with this announcement and more focus on accessibility during AIX, more airlines will deploy solutions like ours to address the needs of passengers with disabilities.”

Building on success, building on accessibility

It’s another step forward for BlueBox Aviation, who won a Crystal Cabin Award for their product last year, with its Virgin Atlantic system that it launched. For those the with sight impairment or loss, it’s a way to access the content that has been provisioned by an airline.

And if it opens doors to content and services on an aircraft – it’s a welcome thing to have aboard a flight.


Welcome to Economy Class and Beyond – Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, with in-depth coverage, unique research as well as the humour and madness as I only know how to deliver.

Follow me on Twitter at @EconomyBeyond for the latest updates! You can also follow me on Instagram too!

Also remember that as well as being part of BoardingArea, we’re also part of BoardingArea.eu, delivering frequent flyer news, miles and points to the European Frequent Flyer

 

Related

Filed Under: AIX19

  • Bluesky
  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Mastodon
  • RSS
  • Threads

Recent Posts

  • Etihad Airways to move its Sydney flights to all-A350 aircraft
  • Airplane Art – Play Airbus A320neo departing Dublin Airport
  • Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond (31st May)
  • Data Storage Adventures – With UGreen NASync DW4800 – Part 3: Build and Configuration
  • Royal Jordanian takes delivery of its first A320neo

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive email updates daily and to hear what's going on with us!

Privacy Policy
Copyright © Economy Class & Beyond All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Economy Class & Beyond with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.